An Unhappy Memorable SONG, of the Hunting in CHEVY-CHASE, between Earl Piercy of England, and Earl Douglas of Scotland.
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GOD prosper long our noble King,
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our Lives and Safeties all,
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A woful hunting once there did
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In Chevy-chase befal;
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To drive the deer with hound & horn
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Earl Piercy took his way,
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The Child may rue that is unborn,
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The hunting of that day.
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The stout Earl of Northumberland,
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a vow to God did make,
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His pleasure in the Scotish woods,
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Three Summer days to take.
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The chiefest Harts in Chevy-chase,
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To kill and bear away.
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The Tidings to Earl Douglas came,
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in Scotland where he lay,
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Who sent Earl Piercy present word,
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he would prevent his sport.
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The English Earl not fearing this,
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did to the woods resort,
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With fifteen hundred Bowmen bold,
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all chosen men of might,
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who knew full well in Time of need
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To aim their chasts aright,
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The gallant grayhounds swiftly ran,
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To chase the Fellow Deer,
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On Monday they began to hunt
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when day-light did appear,
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And long before high noon they had
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a hundred fat Bucks slain,
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Then having din'd the Drovers went,
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To rouze them up again.
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The Bowmen muster'd on the hills,
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well able to endure,
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Their back sides all with special care,
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That day were guarded sure,
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The hounds ran swiftly thro' the woods
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the nimble deer to take,
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And with their cries the hills and dales,
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an eccho shrill did make,
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Lord Piercy to the Quarry went,
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to view the tender Deer,
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Quoth he Earl Douglas promised,
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this day to meet me here,
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If that I thought he would not come,
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no longer would I stay,
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With that stept forth a brave young man
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unto the Earl did say,
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Lo yonder doth Earl Douglas come,
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his men in armour bright,
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Full twenty hundred Scotish Peers,
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all marching in our sight.
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All men of pleasant Tividale,
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fast by the river Tweed,
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Then cease your sport Earl Douglas said
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and take your Bows with speed,
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And now with me my Country men,
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your courage forth advance,
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For never was a Champion yet
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in England nor in France,
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That ever did on horseback come,
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but since my hap it were
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I durst encounter man for man,
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with him to break a spear.
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Earl Douglas on a milk-white steed,
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most like a Baron bold,
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Rode foremost of the Company,
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whose armour shone like gold,
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Shew me, he said, whose men you be
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that hunt so boldly here,
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That without my consent do chase,
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and kill my Fellow Deer.
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That man that first did answer make,
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was noble Piercy, he,
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Who said, we list not to declare,
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nor shew whose men we be,
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Yet we will spend our dearest blood,
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thy chiefest Hart to slay,
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Then Douglas swore a solemn Oath,
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and thus in rage did say,
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E're that I will out braved be,
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One of us two shall die.
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I know thee well, and Earl thou art,
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Lord Piercy so am I.
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But trust me, Piercy, pity it were,
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and great offence to kill
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Any of these our harmless men,
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for they have done no ill,
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Let thou and I the battle try,
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and set our men aside,
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Accurst be he Lord Piercy said,
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by whom this is deny'd.
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Then stept a gallant squire forth,
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Witherington was his Name,
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Who said, I would not have it told
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to Henry our King for shame,
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That my dear Captain fought on foot,
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and I stood looking on,
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You be two Earls, said Witherington,
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and I a squire alone,
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I'll do the best that do I may,
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while I have power to stand,
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While I have power to yield my sword,
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I'll fight with heart and hand.
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Our English Archers bent their bows,
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Their hearts were good and true,
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At the first flight of arrows sent,
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full threescore Scots they slew,
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To drive the Deer with hound and horn
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Earl Douglas had the bent,
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A Captain mov'd with mickle pride,
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the spears to shivers sent.
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They cross'd full fast on every side,
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No slackness there was feund,
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And many a gallant gentleman
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Lay gasping on the ground.
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O Christ! it was a grief to see,
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and likewise for to bear,
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The cries of men lying in their gore,
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and scatter'd here and there.
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At last these two stout Earls did meet,
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Like Captains of great might,
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Like Lyons mov'd they laid on,
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and made a cruel fight,
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They fought till they both did sweat,
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with swords of temper'd steel.
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Until the blood like drops of Rain,
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they trickling down did fall.
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Yield thee, Earl Piercy, Douglas said,
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in faith I will thee bring,
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Where thou shall high advanced be
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by James our Scotish King.
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Thy ransom I will freely give,
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and this report of thee,
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Thou art the most couragious Knight
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that ever I did see,
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To Douglas quoth Earl Piercy then,
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Thy proffer I do scorn,
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I will not yield to any Scot
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that ever yet was born.
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With that there came an arrow keen
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out of an English bow,
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Which struck Earl Douglas to the heart
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a deep and deadly blow,
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Who never spoke more words than these,
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fight on my merry men all,
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For why my Life is at an end,
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Lord Piercy sees me fall.
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Then leaving Life Earl Piercy took,
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the dead man by the hand,
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And said, Earl Douglas for thy Life,
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would I had lost my Land.
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O Christ! my very heart doth bleed,
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with sorrow for thy sake,
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For sure a more renowned Knight,
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mischance did ever take.
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A Knight amongst the Scots there was,
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which saw Earl Douglas die,
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Who strait in wrath did vow revenge,
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upon the Earl Piercy.
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Sir Hugh Montgomery was he call'd,
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who with a spear most bright
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well mounted on a gallant steed,
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ran fiercely thro' the fight,
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And past the English Archers all,
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without all dread or fear,
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And thro' Earl Piercy's body then
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he thrust his hateful spear,
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With such a vehement force and might,
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he did his body gore
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The spear went thro' the other side,
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a full Cloth yard and more.
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So thus did these two Nobles die,
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whose courage none could stain,
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An English Archer then perceiv'd
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the noble Earl was slain,
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He had a Bow bent in his hand,
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made of a trusty tree,
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An Arrow of a Cloth-yard long,
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Unto the head drew he.
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Against Sir Hugh Montgomery,
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so right his shaft he set,
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The Gray goose-wing that was thereon
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with his heart's blood was wet.
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This fight did last from break of day
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Till setting of the sun,
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For when they rung the evening bell
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The battle scarce was done.
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With the Earl Piercy there was slain
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Sir John of Overton.
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Sir Robert Ratcliff, and Sir John,
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Sir James that bold Baron;
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And with Sir George and good Sir James
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both Knights of good account,
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Good Sir Ralph Raby there was slain,
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whose prowess did surmount,
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For Witherington needs must I wail
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as one in doleful dumps,
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For when his Legs were smitten off
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he fought upon his stumps,
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And with Earl Douglas there was slain
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Sir Hugh Montgomery,
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Sir Charles Curry, that from the field,
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one foot would never flee,
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Sir Charles Murray of Ratcliff to,
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his sister's Son was he,
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Sir David Lamb so well esteem'd,
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They said could not be.
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And the Lord Maxwell likewise,
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did with Earl Douglas die.
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Of Twenty hundred English Peers
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scarce fifty five did flee,
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Of fifteen hundred Scots men,
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went home but fifty three,
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The rest were slain in Chevy-chase,
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under the Green wood Tree
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Next day did many widows come,
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their husbands to bewail,
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they wash'd their wounds in brinish tears,
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but all would not prevail,
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Their bodies bated in purple blood,
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they bore with them away.
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They kiss'd them dead a thousand times,
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when they were clad in clay.
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This News was brought to Edinburgh,
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where Scotland's King did reign,
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That brave Earl Douglas suddenly
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was with an arrow slain.
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O heavy news, King James did say,
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Scotland can witness be,
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I have not any Captain more,
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of such account as he.
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Like Tidings to King Henry came,
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within as short a space,
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That Piercy of Northumberland,
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was slain in Chevy-chase:
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Now God be with him said our King,
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Since 'twill no better be,
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I trust I have within my Realm,
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Five hundred as good as he.
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Yet shall not Scot nor Scotland say,
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but I will vengeance take,
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And be revenged on them all,
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for brave Lord Piercy's sake,
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This vow full well the King perform'd
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after an humble down,
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In one day fifty Knights were slain,
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with Lords of great Renown,
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And of the rest of small account,
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did many Thousands die,
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Thus ends the hunting of Chevy chase,
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made by the Earl Piercy,
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God save the King, and bless the Land,
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in plenty, joy and peace,
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And grant hence forth that foul debate,
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Noblemen may cease.
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